Trauma & PTSD · Hintonburg · Ottawa & online
Trauma and PTSD Therapy in Ottawa
The danger may be over. Your body may still be waiting for it to return.
You get through work, answer messages, and handle what needs handling. Then a sound, a look, a difficult conversation, or nothing you can name puts you right back on alert. Maybe you cannot sleep. Maybe you go numb. Maybe you keep moving because stopping feels worse.
Trauma therapy gives us a place to work with what is happening now, without forcing you to tell the whole story before you are ready.
When your system never fully stands down
Trauma does not always look like panic or vivid memories. Sometimes it looks like being capable all day and unable to settle once you are alone.
You may recognize some of this:
- You scan rooms, faces, or voices for signs that something is wrong.
- Your sleep is light, interrupted, or filled with dreams you would rather not revisit.
- A small conflict brings up fear, anger, shame, or the urge to leave.
- You feel detached from people you care about, even when you want to be close.
- You stay busy because quiet gives the past too much room.
- You understand your reactions, but understanding has not stopped them.
These reactions can follow one event, repeated exposure, or experiences that lasted for years. They are not proof that you are weak or broken. They are reasons to look more closely at what your mind and body learned to expect.
PTSD and complex trauma can affect more than memory
Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can involve unwanted memories, avoidance, and an ongoing sense of threat. Complex trauma can also shape how you see yourself, handle strong emotions, and experience closeness with other people.
You do not need to decide which label fits before contacting me. Some people arrive with a PTSD diagnosis. Others know only that something from the past keeps showing up in the present. We can begin with what is affecting your life now.
If you want a more detailed explanation of complex trauma, read the guide to complex PTSD treatment in Ottawa. This page is about the practical side of starting trauma therapy.
What happens when you start trauma therapy?
The first appointment is a conversation. I want to understand what is happening, what you want help with, and what makes therapy feel possible or impossible right now.
- 1
We start with the present
You choose what to share. We talk about sleep, triggers, relationships, work, and the moments when your reactions feel hardest to manage. You will not be asked to recount your worst experience in the first session.
- 2
We build a plan you understand
I explain which approach may fit and why. We agree on what we are working toward, how we will know whether therapy is helping, and what to do if the pace feels wrong.
- 3
We prepare before processing
Before working directly with a traumatic memory, we practise noticing activation, returning attention to the room, and stopping when you need to. We review the work as we go. Therapy should not run on autopilot.
How I approach trauma and PTSD
I draw from EMDR, somatic therapy, and Internal Family Systems. These approaches do different jobs. We use what fits the problem in front of us rather than forcing every person through the same sequence.
I’m Masood Suliman, a Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #11921). My work focuses on complex trauma and PTSD. I explain each part of the treatment plainly so you can decide whether it makes sense for you.
EMDR for traumatic memories
EMDR therapy is a structured psychotherapy used for PTSD and distress connected to traumatic memories. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements or alternating taps, while you briefly attend to part of a memory. The aim is for the memory to feel less immediate and easier to place in the past. The World Health Organization includes EMDR among the psychological interventions used for PTSD.
Somatic therapy when your body stays on alert
Somatic therapy pays attention to what your body is doing now: tension, shallow breath, restlessness, numbness, or the urge to get away. This can help you notice activation earlier and practise settling without having to explain every detail of what happened.
IFS when different parts of you pull in opposite directions
Internal Family Systems, or IFS, can help when one part of you wants change while another part works hard to avoid anything painful. Instead of treating that resistance as a problem, we try to understand what it is protecting and what it needs before moving closer to a memory.
Some people work mainly with one approach. For others, the work shifts between them. You will know what we are doing and why.
When you are the person others rely on
First responders, military members, healthcare workers, and people in other high-pressure roles often become very good at functioning while something is happening. The cost can show up later.
You may be able to stay calm at work and lose patience at home. You may tell yourself that other people had it worse, or worry that talking about an experience will make you less effective. Those concerns make sense in work cultures where competence and control matter.
I will not ask you to perform vulnerability or give up the responses that help you do your job. We look at what still protects you, what now gets in the way, and how to give your system more room to come down when the situation is over.
Trauma therapy in Hintonburg and online
I provide trauma and PTSD therapy through Ripple Effect Counselling and Psychotherapy at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, near Wellington Village and Tunney’s Pasture.
In-person appointments are available in Ottawa. Secure virtual sessions are available to clients across Ontario and Quebec. Online trauma therapy uses the same preparation, pacing, and check-ins as in-person work.
If anxiety is the main problem you notice, the anxiety therapy page explains how I approach worry, panic, perfectionism, and an alarm system that does not switch off.
Fees and practical details
- Free 15-minute consultation. A brief conversation about what you want help with and whether working together makes sense.
- Individual session (50 minutes): $200.
- Insurance: you pay per session and receive a detailed receipt with my CRPO registration number (#11921). Check whether your extended health plan covers services from a Registered Psychotherapist.
- No referral is needed.
Questions about trauma and PTSD therapy
Do I need a PTSD diagnosis to start trauma therapy?
No. Some people begin therapy with a diagnosis, while others know that a past experience still affects their sleep, relationships, mood, or sense of safety. We can begin with what is happening now. If you need a formal diagnosis for another purpose, we can discuss the appropriate assessment route.
Will I have to tell the whole trauma story?
No. You decide what you say out loud. EMDR, somatic therapy, and parts work can all begin without a detailed retelling. I may ask enough to understand what we are working with, but you can pause, slow down, or say that you do not want to answer.
What happens in the first trauma therapy session?
We talk about what brings you in, what is affecting daily life, and what you want to change. I explain how I work and answer questions. We may also identify something that helps you feel grounded. We do not begin trauma processing simply because you booked a trauma appointment.
Is EMDR the same as trauma therapy?
EMDR is one form of trauma therapy. It may be central to the work, or it may be combined with somatic therapy, IFS, and ordinary conversation. The approach depends on what you are dealing with, how you respond, and what you want from therapy.
How long does trauma therapy take?
There is no honest fixed session count. Working with one recent event is different from working with trauma that has shaped your life for years. We set goals, review progress openly, and change the plan if the work is not helping.
Can PTSD therapy be done online?
Yes. I offer secure virtual trauma therapy across Ontario and Quebec. We plan for privacy, grounding, and what you will do if you need a pause. Some people prefer being in their own space, while others prefer the separation of coming to the office.
Is trauma therapy covered by insurance?
Many extended health plans cover psychotherapy provided by a Registered Psychotherapist. Coverage varies, so check your plan before booking. You receive a detailed receipt with my CRPO registration number after each paid session.
One small ripple is enough to start.
A free 15-minute call. No forms, no pressure to tell your story before you’re ready.
Book a free 15-minute call